The dark side of the Kindle

(The following note is reposted from AbsurdIntellectual.com):

As a bookseller, I obviously have a bias against any sort e-book. To date, my argument has tended to be along aethestic lines — how a book feels, how it smells and the like — as well as toting the technological advantage of the traditional book — you can read it in the bathtub without too much worry, don’t worry about dropping it, no batteries to recharge and so on.

I still believe these to be valid arguments, but I have found another that might be more convincing to true technophiles. Blogger Dan Cohen found that Amazon has unwritten restrictions on downloads for the Kindle:

“Oh that’s the problem,” he [the customer service rep] said “if some of the
books will download and the others won’t it means that you’ve reached the
maximum number of times you can download the book.”

I asked him what that meant since the books I needed to download weren’t currently on any device because I had wiped those devices clean and simply wanted to reinstall. He proceeded to tell me that there is always a limit to the number of times you can download a given book. Sometimes, he said, it’s five or six times but at other
times it may only be once or twice. And, here’s the kicker folks, once you reach
the cap you need to repurchase the book if you want to download it again.

Granted, this information is available to the customer — its right there in the small print of the legal agreement that we all love to ignore on a daily basis. And when I say “this information,” I mean the fact that there’s a limit. The specific limit is trickier:

“How do I find out how many times I can download any given book?” I asked. He
replied, “I don’t think you can. That’s entirely up to the publisher and I don’t think we always know.”

I pressed — “You mean when you go to buy the book it doesn’t say ‘this book can be downloaded this number of times’ even though that limitation is there?” To which he replied, “No, I’m very sorry it doesn’t.”

How many versions of the Kindle have come out to date? How frequently are Kindle users going to be expected to update their technology? Cohen suggests it might happen every couple of years, meaning sooner or later, all the previously purchased books will have to be repurchased. (Note: I have paperbacks I bought twenty years ago that I have not needed to repurchase, even though new editions have been released).

Given that Cohen’s post was written in June and I haven’t come across any other outcry, I wonder if this issue has been resolved or if it simply hasn’t come to a head yet.

In any case, I still don’t see the death of print in the near future, as the marketplace is becoming crowded with e-readers: Amazon’s Kindle, Sony’s Reader, the Barnes and Noble nook, and Samsung’s Papyrus, not to mention the multitude of ways books can be accessed through the regular old Internet. Until there is a industry standard, I think most people will shy away from making an investment in an e-library that might up and dissapate into the ether when their e-reader fails to make the cut.

Though the printed book may seem antiquated, sometimes the best technology is the old technology.

Author visits and a new service

With the weather turning cooler, people in Brandon and the surrounding area may find themselves looking for entertainment options that take place indoors. At the same time, the holiday season is approaching and time seems to be in increasingly short supply. We at Pennywise Books are pleased to offer opportunities for both of these challenges.

Author Events

On December 8, at 7:00 PM, author Dale Brawn will be on hand to read and sign copies of his most recently released book entitled Every Stone a Story II: Manitoba’s Buried History, the follow-up to the popular Every Stone a Story. This much-anticipated book contains more stories gleaned from Manitoba’s buried history. Illustrated with black and white photographs, each story describes the life, death, and experiences of someone buried in a particular cemetery. The stories are often about the famous or infamous, but equally often they are about people little known outside their communities, but who have done something extraordinary.

Two nights later, on December 10, at 7:00 PM, join professional wrestler Vance Nevada as he talks about his new book Wrestling in the Canadian West, a thorough account of the history of professional wrestling in western Canada. Originally from Brandon, Nevada has competed in over 1,200 matches in his fourteen year career since his first bout at age seventeen.

The next evening, December 11 at 7:00 PM, co-founder of Amarok Society, Gem Munro will be discussing his new book South Asian Adventures with the Active Poor. Gem’s family will be in attendance to show video clips and converse about the family’s adventures in the slums of Bangladesh.

The Amarok Society is a Canadian registered charity operating in South Asia. Motivated by the suffering created by poverty and ignorance, the Amarok Society believes that education is the only way to permanently overcome poverty. This charity was founded in response to a critical need that wasn't being addressed - providing education to the many children who can never afford to go to school and whose own parents are illiterate.

Service

To assist with the time crunch, Pennywise Books is offering a free delivery service of book purchases to addresses within Brandon city limits. Prepaid purchases of $25 or more qualify to be delivered to the buyer’s home. Don't forget — Pennywise Books can order books that are not currently in stock.

Finally, until the 3rd week of December, we will be staying open until 9:00 PM on Thursdays to try and fit your schedule a little better.

If you have any questions, remember that we're always glad to hear from you. Call us at 728-BOOK (2665), or email pennywise@westman.wave.ca.


Hope to see you soon!

Author Reading - October 13

With the first hints of winter in the air, Pennywise Books has begun preparing for an extremely busy season of special events and author appearances.

The first guest, co-founder of Amarok Society, Gem Munro will be in the store on Tuesday, October 13 at 7:00 p.m. Gem will be discussing his new book South Asian Adventures with the Active Poor. Gem’s family will be in attendance to show video clips and converse about the family’s adventures in the slums of Bangladesh. Chai tea will be served free of charge.

The Amarok Society is a Canadian registered charity operating in South Asia. Motivated by the suffering created by poverty and ignorance, the Amarok Society believes that education is the only way to permanently overcome poverty. This charity was founded in response to a critical need that wasn't being addressed - providing education to the many children who can never afford to go to school and whose own parents are illiterate. For more information about the Amarok Society, visit www.amaroksociety.org.

For details about future authors and events, watch this website in the coming days.

William Bolley - Reading & Signing

On Thursday, July 30, 2009 at 7:00 PM, local author William Bolley will be reading and signing copies of his first book, A Sobering Moment.

A story of tragedy, addiction, pain, courage and pursuit of the truth, A Sobering Moment is a combination of a dramatic adventure and the inner struggle of a man searching for the true meaning of life.

Mason Walls grew up an adventurous prairie boy full of wonder. But at age twelve, when the Walls family moves, his entire life changes. Thus begins Mason’s personal loss of confidence and the tragic destruction of his family. By seventeen Mason is forced on a desperate search to fill the emptiness inside. On the journey he meets many characters, some offering help, others inflicting pain. His spirit is tested, weakened, wounded and celebrated throughout the many trials he experiences. When Mason’s existence is in the final stages of despair his last hope is crushed. Hitting bottom he is forced to decide whether to live or die.

William Bolley is employed as a school social worker and has assisted children and their families for almost thirty years. During this time he has been exposed to a wide spectrum of suffering including loss, abuse, addiction and violence. However, in his capacity as a therapist he has also seen the incredible power and resiliency of the human spirit. Since completing a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in English, he has been interested in writing. A Sobering Moment is his first published work. Currently he is working on his second novel, Triangles, a dangerous love story. He is married with two grown children and lives in Brandon, Manitoba.

The future of the book

I recently attended the Canadian Booksellers’ Association Summer Conference. In addition to the renewal of old acquaintances, author visits, sales presentations and other sorts of activities you would expect to encounter at a professional conference, there was a panel discussion on the future of the book industry. Although this discussion touched on many of the issues affecting independent booksellers (the fluctuating Canadian dollar, reassessments of returns policies, the economy, big box discounters, etc), the most interesting topic, to my mind, was the mindset of various publishers regarding the rise of the ebook.

Even the idea of the ebook gives me a nasty crawling of the flesh. It isn’t that I am some sort of Luddite or that, as a bookstore owner, I have a vested interest in the survival of the book. My problem is that the ebook may eventually win out over the physical book, despite the fact that the centuries-old format is the superior of the two.

A cursory listing, in no particular order, of my arguments for this position include:

1. Books have no requirement for electricity, battery or any form of power. Thus, they can be used in even the most primitive of conditions.
2. Although ebook readers have improved greatly with the latest generation of products, the resolution of the book will be difficult to surpass.
3. Transferability is less an issue for books than ebooks. While handing a book to a friend is rarely an issue (even if getting it returned is), sharing an ebook across different readers has, to date, been problematic.
4. Books are a very popular gift. Ebooks do not possess that physical dimension that is often important in gift-giving rituals.
5. Environmentally, books are superior. While much hue and cry can be raised around deforestation and the pollution resulting from pulp and paper mills, there are alternatives to these industrial practices. Electronic devices, in both production and disposal, are frightening with respect to what is released into soils and waterways.

Certainly, there are additional arguments and just as many counterarguments. Yet, because the general public has a love affair with hand-held electronic devices, publishers are looking to monetizing that small, but growing portion of the market seeking digital versions of new books.

The general consensus among the publishers present at the CBA conference was that ebooks will not likely play a significant role in the marketplace for at least 5 years. In that time, I cannot say how else the book industry will evolve as we are truly in a time of change.

In short, although the publishing industry is in a time of flux, it is almost certain that the book will survive.

(This post has been simultaneously published on both Absurd Intellectual and the Pennywise Books blog.)

Big Book Sale!

Just a quick update in regards to a BIG SALE we're having at Pennywise Books. Once again, we have more books that we have space for, so we need to make room. Thus, we are having our first "Spring-Cleaning-Word-of-Mouth Sale."

On the first two Saturdays in June (June 6 and June 13), EVERYTHING in the store will be 30% off -- new books, discount books, used books -- EVERYTHING! (Except books sold on consignment).

As this is a "word-of-mouth" sale, tell your friends and family that like to read. This sale is your opportunity to stock up for your summer reading!

A couple of rules:

(1) This sale will be on June 6 and June 13 only. Sale prices will not be offered during the week. Therefore, if there is a book you've seen on the shelf that you are interested in, you might want to consider either getting here early on a sale day, or pick it up in advance of the sale to be sure you get it at our already low prices.

(2) You cannot put books on hold until sale day. That's not playing fair.

That's it! Tell everyone you know who needs/wants something to read for the summer that Pennywise Books is having an amazing sale on June 6 and 13 (10:00 AM - 5:00 PM), where everything is 30% off.

For more information, contact us at: pennywise@westman.wave.ca or call 728-2665.

We look forward to seeing you all soon!

Free Comic Book Day

The first Saturday of every May (this year, May 2) is Free Comic Book Day. Normally, we don't stock regular magazine-type comics, but because we are totally overstocked on one or two graphic novels, we will be giving away free graphic novels all day. That's MAY 2, starting at 10:00 AM.

This is not an invitation to walk in and pick up whatever you want. The free books will be available at the counter and last only as long as the stock does.

Also, remember that the Manitoba Arts Council will be making a presentation Saturday morning, if you are interested in taking part in that session.

I hope to see you all on Saturday!

MANITOBA BOOK AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCED

MANITOBA BOOK AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCED

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA - The Manitoba Book Awards winners were announced on the eveningof Saturday, April 25, 2009 at the Winnipeg Art Gallery during a Gala event hosted by CBC Radio's Shelagh Rogers.

Winnipeg writer David Bergen took home two top prizes, including the McNally Robinson Book of the Year Award, for his deeply moving novel, The Retreat. This year's most nominated title, Pauline Boutal, Destin d'artiste par Louise Duguay, publié par Les Éditions du Blé, a magnificent French-language hard-cover art book about the talented St. Boniface painter and former artistic director of the Cercle Molière also received two prizes. A complete list of recipients follows:

McNally Robinson Book of the Year Award ($5,000)

• The Retreat by David Bergen, published by McClelland and Stewart Ltd.

McNally Robinson Book for Young People Award - Older Category ($2,500)

• My Mother is a French Fry and Further Proof of My Fuzzed-Up Life by Colleen Sydor, published by Kids Can Press

McNally Robinson Book for Young People Award - Younger Category ($2,500)

• Goose Girl by Joe McLellan and Matrine McLellan, illustrated by Rhian Brynjolson, published by Pemmican Publications

Mary Scorer Award for Best Book by a Manitoba Publisher ($1,000)

• Pauline Boutal, Destin d'artiste par Louise Duguay, publié par Les Éditions du Blé

John Hirsch Award for Most Promising Manitoba Writer ($2,500)

• Michael Van Rooy

Alexander Kennedy Isbister Award for Non-Fiction ($3,500)

• Lord Selkirk: A Life by J.M. Bumsted, published by University of Manitoba Press

Margaret Laurence Award for Fiction ($3,500)

• The Retreat by David Bergen, published by McClelland and Stewart Ltd

Le Prix littéraire Rue-Deschambault (3 500 $)

• L'endroit et l'envers par Lise Gaboury-Diallo, publié par L'Harmattan

Carol Shields Winnipeg Book Award ($5,000)

• Saint-Boniface 1908-2008 : reflets d'une ville, sous la direction de André Fauchonet Carol J. Harvey, publié par les Presses universitaires de Saint-Boniface

Eileen McTavish Sykes Award for Best First Book by a Manitoba Writer ($1,500)

• The Prairie Bridesmaid by Daria Salamon, published by Key Porter Books Ltd.

Manuela Dias Book Design of the Year Award

• Pauline Boutal, Destin d'artiste par Louise Duguay, graphiste Susan Chafe, publié par Les Éditions du Blé

Best Illustrated Book of the Year Award

• The Harry Winrob Collection of Inuit Sculpture, curated by Darlene Coward Wight, design by Frank Reimer, published by The Winnipeg Art Gallery

Aqua Books Lansdowne Prize for Poetry / Le Prix Lansdowne de poésie ($1,000)

• this is a small northern town by Rosanna Deerchild, published by The Muses' Company, an imprint of J. Gordon Shillingford Publishing

The Association of Manitoba Book Publishers gratefully acknowledges the support of the following Book Awards partners: Aqua Books, The City of Winnipeg through the Winnipeg Arts Council, The Canada Council for the Arts, Friesens, Hignell Book Printing, Kromar Printing Ltd., The Manitoba Arts Council, Manitoba Culture,Heritage, Tourism and Sport, The Manitoba Foundation for the Arts, Manitoba Tradeand Investment, McNally Robinson Booksellers, Relish Design Studio and The WinnipegFoundation. The Manitoba Writers' Guild thanks the Association of Manitoba Book Publishers for coordinating the 2009 Manitoba Book Awards. For more information contact:

Karen San Filippo
Manitoba Book Awards Coordinator
Association of Manitoba Book Publishers
404-100 Arthur St., Winnipeg, MB R3B 1H3
(204) 947-3335
projectsambp@mts.net
www.manitobabookawards.com

Manitoba Arts Council Workshop

Are you interested in learning about funding that is available to you as an artist? Would you like to learn more about how to prepare a grant application?

The Manitoba Arts Council will be hosting an Information Session & Grant Writing Workshop on Saturday, May 2^nd from 10:00 am until 11:00 am at Pennywise Books, 1031 Rosser Avenue. This opportunity is free of charge and open to artists in any discipline and at all stages of their careers.

For more information contact:

Kristen Pauch-Nolin, Program Consultant, Community Art
Toll-Free in MB 1-866-994-2787
Email: kpauch-nolin@artscouncil.mb.ca.
Website: www.artscouncil.mb.ca

MANITOBA BOOK AWARDS SHORTLISTS ANNOUNCED

It was a real thrill to be asked to be part of the jury for the Eileen Sykes award. I can't imagine what it would be like to WIN an award, if sitting on the jury for an award is so much fun.

As the press release with all the shortlists for the Manitoba Book Awards has just been released, I thought I could get a leg up on the mainstream media by posting it here for your perusal:


For Immediate Release - March 19, 2009

MANITOBA BOOK AWARDS SHORTLISTS ANNOUNCED

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA - The Association of Manitoba Book Publishers is pleased toannounce the Manitoba Book Awards shortlists. The awards will be presented at theManitoba Book Awards gala, hosted by CBC Radio's Shelagh Rogers, on Saturday, April25 at the Winnipeg Art Gallery. Cocktails are at 7:30 p.m., with the ceremonybeginning at 8:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

The shortlists and recipients are selected by a variety of juries, comprised ofwriters, publishers and other book industry personnel from across Canada.

And the nominees are.

McNally Robinson Book of the Year

* Fear Not by Maurice Mierau, published by Turnstone Press
* The Flying Troutmans by Miriam Toews, published by Alfred A. Knopf Canada
* Reading by Lightning by Joan Thomas, published by Goose Lane Editions
* The Retreat by David Bergen, published by McClelland and Stewart Ltd.

Alexander Kennedy Isbister Award for Non-Fiction

* Behind the Headlines: A History of Investigative Journalism in Canada by Cecil Rosner, published by Oxford University Press
* Head Space: Five Decades of Bruce Head, essays by Patricia E. Bovey and AmyKarlinsky, published by The Winnipeg Art Gallery
* Lord Selkirk: A Life by J.M. Bumsted, published by University of Manitoba
* Press Politics in Manitoba: Parties, Leaders, and Voters by Christopher Adams, published by University of Manitoba Press
* Subconscious City, curated by Shawna Dempsey and Lorri Millan, essays by various contributors, published by The Winnipeg Art Gallery

Aqua Books Lansdowne Prize for Poetry/Prix Lansdowne de poésie

* Fear Not by Maurice Mierau, published by Turnstone Press
* La Métisse filante de Laurent Poliquin, publié par L'Harmattan
* The Sleeping Life by Kerry Ryan, published by The Muses' Company, an imprint of J.Gordon Shillingford Publishing
* this is a small northern town by Rosanna Deerchild, published by The Muses' Company, an imprint of J. Gordon Shillingford Publishing

Best Illustrated Book of the Year

* L'Étang du soir de J.R. Léveillé et Étienne Gaboury, graphiste Bernard Léveillé,publié par Les Éditions du Blé
* The Harry Winrob Collection of Inuit Sculpture, curated by Darlene Coward Wight,design by Frank Reimer, published by The Winnipeg Art Gallery
* Magic at the Museum, written and illustrated by Jane Heinrichs, published by Wide Horizons Ink Publishing
* Pauline Boutal, Destin d'artiste par Louise Duguay, graphiste Susan Chafe, publiépar Les Éditions du Blé

Carol Shields Winnipeg Book Award

* The Beech Nut of Big Water Beach by Margaret Shaw-MacKinnon, published by Aivilo Press
* The Prairie Bridesmaid by Daria Salamon, published by Key Porter Books Ltd.
* Saint-Boniface 1908-2008 : reflets d'une ville, sous la direction de André Fauchonet Carol J. Harvey, publié par les Presses universitaires de Saint-Boniface
* Subconscious City, curated by Shawna Dempsey and Lorri Millan, essays by variouscontributors, published by The Winnipeg Art Gallery
* Widows of Hamilton House by Christina Penner, published by Enfield & Wizenty

Eileen McTavish Sykes Award for Best First Book

* The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson, published by Random House Canada
* The Prairie Bridesmaid by Daria Salamon, published by Key Porter Books Ltd.
* Reading by Lightning by Joan Thomas, published by Goose Lane Editions
* Somewhere Else by Jan Guenther Braun, published by Arbeiter Ring Publishing
* Widows of Hamilton House by Christina Penner, published by Enfield & Wizenty

John Hirsch Award for Most Promising Manitoba Writer

* Rosanna Deerchild
* Christina Penner
* Daria Salamon
* Michael Van Rooy
* Adam Smoluk

Manuela Dias Book Design of the Year

* L'Étang du soir de J.R. Léveillé et Étienne Gaboury, graphiste Bernard Léveillé, publié par Les Éditions du Blé
* The Harry Winrob Collection of Inuit Sculpture, curated by Darlene Coward Wight, design by Frank Reimer, published by The Winnipeg Art Gallery
* Head Space: Five Decades of Bruce Head, essays by Patricia E. Bovey and Amy Karlinsky, published by The Winnipeg Art Gallery
* Pauline Boutal, Destin d'artiste par Louise Duguay, graphiste Susan Chafe, publié par Les Éditions du Blé
* Sheila Spence: Pictures of Me, curated by Mary Reid, design by Lisa Friesen, published by The Winnipeg Art gallery
* Subconscious City, curated by Shawna Dempsey and Lorri Millan, design by LisaFriesen, published by The Winnipeg Art Gallery

The Margaret Laurence Award for Fiction

* The Flying Troutmans by Miriam Toews, published by Alfred A. Knopf Canada
* Reading by Lightning by Joan Thomas, published by Goose Lane Editions
* The Retreat by David Bergen, published by McClelland and Stewart Ltd

Mary Scorer Award for Best Book by a Manitoba Publisher

* Bush Camp by Marvin Francis, published by Turnstone Press
* Pauline Boutal, Destin d'artiste par Louise Duguay, publié par Les Éditions du Blé
* They Call Me Chief: Warriors on Ice by Don Marks, published by J. Gordon Shillingford Publishing

McNally Robinson Book for Young People Award - Older Category

* My Mother is a French Fry and Further Proof of my Fuzzed-Up Life by Colleen Sydor, published by Kids Can Press
* Shadow-Town by Duncan Thornton, published by Annick Press
* Withershins by Susan Rocan, published by Great Plains Publications
* Spider's Song by Anita Daher, published by Penguin Group

McNally Robinson Book for Young People Award - Younger Category

* Andrea's Fiddle by Blaine Klippenstein, illustrated by Christie Jedele, published by Loon Books Publishing
* Goose Girl by Joe McLellan and Matrine McLellan, illustrated by Rhian Brynjolson, published by Pemmican Publications
* Granny's Giant Bannock by Brenda Isabel Wastasecoot, illustrated by Kimberly McKay-Fleming, published by Pemmican Publications

Le Prix littéraire Rue-Deschambault

* L'endroit et l'envers par Lise Gaboury-Diallo, publié par L'Harmattan
* Pauline Boutal, Destin d'artiste par Louise Duguay, publié par Les Éditions du Blé
* Voyages au pays des maléfices de Tatiana Arcand, publié par Les Éditions du Blé

The Association of Manitoba Book Publishers gratefully acknowledges the support ofthe following Book Awards partners: Aqua Books, The Canada Council for the Arts,Friesens, Hignell Book Printing, the Manitoba Arts Council, Manitoba Culture,Heritage, Tourism and Sport, the Manitoba Foundation for the Arts, Manitoba Tradeand Investment, McNally Robinson Booksellers, the Winnipeg Arts Council and theWinnipeg Foundation.

For more information contact:

Karen San Filippo
Manitoba Book Awards Coordinator
Association of Manitoba Book Publishers
404-100 Arthur St., Winnipeg, MB R3B 1H3
(204) 947-3335
projectsambp@mts.net
www.manitobabookawards.com


-30-

An Overdue Update

I feel badly for not updating on a more regular basis the going-ons at Pennywise. Therefore, here is some bad news, some good news and some better news and some bad news again...

Bad news: Pennywise Books is currently operating under slightly reduced hours. From Tuesday to Friday, the store is open from 12:30 to 5:30 PM. On Saturdays, we remain open from 10 AM to 5:00 PM. Sundays and Mondays we are closed.

Good news: We have added two new sections in the store - Westerns and New Age. Whereas customers used to have to ask for these books, we've now carved out shelf space. Fans of Louis L'Amour and Wiccan nonfiction can now browse to their hearts content. Also, very shortly we will have a new, great big shelf for new arrivals of discount titles. Deals galore!

Better news: There are a number of exciting activities being lined up for the coming weeks and months. These special events are of all varieties, types and natures. Be sure to keep tuned!

Bad news, again: I'm not going to tell you what any of these special events are. Not yet.

As always, you are invited to come down to visit with us at Pennywise Books and see what strange and wonderful new books we have tracked down and have available for your reading pleasure.

I look forward to see you again very soon.

Story Time

We are currently looking at establishing a regular story time for kids. We will be playing with the idea, tweaking it slightly here and there until we think (and, more importantly, the kids in attendance think) that we have gotten it right. Once we find that recipe, we will be making story time a regular event here at the store. Until then, we will be announcing the dates and times for each here on the website.

The next story time will take place on Saturday, February 14 from 11:00 - 11:30 AM.

I hope to see you there!